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Screw Gym Memberships! I recently read a short article where Elizabeth Hurley was interviewed. She is perhaps one of the most beautiful women on the planet and recently turned 53.  Her Secret? She doesn’t workout in a gym and does not even have a gym membership.

How is this possible you ask? Well it’s pretty simple… She is Active… like how about going out behind the shed and cutting wood with a chainsaw? Now that’s what I am talking about.

One of the most insidious myths of the modern world is that you can only get fit if you’re a regular gymgoer. All those guys you see with rock-hard bodies only get that way by spending hours in a gym lifting weights every week.

Not so! 

The truth is that you can get fit without ever seeing the inside of a gym. In fact, you’ll often get more fit if you find alternative ways to build and tone muscle, enhance your flexibility, and improve cardiovascular endurance.

Don’t limit yourself to the gym! Try these manly, unrestricted ways to get fit:

Sports Can Be Done Without A Gym Membership

Athletes are fit not because they spend hours in the gym, but because they push themselves at their sport-specific training! Sports training rarely involves straight-up weight training; usually, it’s more along the lines of sprints, agility drills, endurance exercises, and strength-building movements that recruit the muscles used for the specific sport. Even if you don’t get into professional-level sports, even just playing basketball, football, soccer, baseball, hockey, or lacrosse regularly can help you get mad fit. All the time you’ll spend running around will help you build solid endurance and strengthen your cardiovascular system.

Bodyweight Training Can Be Done Without A Gym Membership

This is the premise behind our best selling training bodyweight training program Alpha. It takes a lot of strength to move your body weight around easily.

Do a set of 50 Pull-Ups or 100 Push-Ups, and you’ll see exactly what that means! Being physically fit isn’t only about the ability to lift heavy weights, but it’s more about being able to move your own body weight around without strain. Focusing on training according to your bodyweight is the key to getting truly “fit” and in good condition. 

Running Can Be Done Without A Gym Membership

Running is amazing exercise, and it can build cardiovascular and muscular endurance. You can mix in a variety of running workouts hill sprints, low-intensity jogging sessions, short-distance sprint runs, and more—to burn fat and build muscle effectively. It’s a great way to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and add a lot of spice to your workouts. After all, your feet can take you anywhere you want, and you’ll never have to see the same place twice.

Chopping Wood Can Be Done Without A Gym Membership

What could be more masculine than this? Plus, it’s excellent exercise—burning calories and building muscle—and will enhance your hand-eye coordination. If you’ve got a wood-burning stove, it’s a great workout to spend an hour chopping wood every day. You’ll never run out of heat even in the coldest winter, and you’ll get fit in the process. 

Boxing/Martial Arts Can Be Done Without A Gym Membership

Every man should know how to defend themselves in a fight. Boxing, MMA, and martial arts training are also a kick-ass way to get fit—LITERALLY! The movements you’ll learn will teach muscular and physical control, improve your agility, enhance your focus, and help you to dominate your own personality. Learning to fight is one of the best things you can do with your life! You’ll not only learn how to kick ass, but you’ll master yourself and your temper so you’ll know how not to get into the wrong fights at the wrong times.  

Rowing Can Be Done Without A Gym Membership 

Rowing is one of the best forms of physical exercise on the planet. Not only does it work your arms and shoulders, but your upper back, lower back, abs, and legs get in on the work—making it a complete body workout. The strength you develop rowing will help you in every area of your life, AND you’ll be able to use that muscular endurance to help you row properly as you hit your local lakes, rivers, and even ocean to go canoeing, kayaking, or boating. 

Swimming Can Be Done Without A Gym Membership

Every man should not only know how to swim, they should be able to swim at least 2-3 miles without running out of steam. Swimming is a lot more exhausting than you’d realize because your muscles are doing all the work, without inertia to help push you forward. That makes it a killer way to get in shape, and you’ll never need to see the inside of the gym to do it! Hit up your local public pool for daily training sessions, or find a lake or river near you and get swimming. Every muscle in your body will thank you!  

Yoga/Pilates Can Be Done Without A Gym Membership

Flexibility and mobility are vital for your fitness! If you’re too stiff and sore to move, you’ll never be able to get in a proper workout. Mobility issues contribute to injuries and limited movement, which are the enemies of fitness. Yoga and Pilates both encourage better mobility, core strength, and flexibility, which is the foundation of your fitness. DEFINITELY spend a few hours a month working on your mobility. 

Hike and Camp Can Be Done Without A Gym Membership

Hiking is wicked exercise, especially if you’re loaded down with all the gear you’ll need to camp for the night. Those uphills will shred your calves and hamstrings, the downhills will target your quads, and all of it will hit your core and enhance cardiovascular endurance. The result: a fitter you, one better able to survive in the great outdoors without the need for modern comforts.  

Building Can Be Done Without A Gym Membership

The modern generation is finding that they have no idea how to work with their hands, how to build things, which means greater dependence on technology. Well, building is a great way to get and stay fit! If you’ve ever painted a room, built a bed, or hung drywall, you’ll know exactly how much exercise it can be. You’ll find that building is a great workout and helps you to improve the condition of your home. 

Do House Maintenance Can Be Done Without A Gym Membership

It’s a man’s job to keep their house in good working order, which means raking, cutting the grass, hauling away the garbage and debris, taking care of the garden, cleaning the gutters, and so much more. All of these things are great forms of light exercise and will help you to burn calories. Plus, the more you move, the fitter you are!